More 700MHz Auction Fun: Frontline Asks FCC To Ban Verizon Wireless From Bidding

from the ah,-the-one-up-manship dept

Mon, Oct 1st 2007 8:21pm — Mike Masnick

For something as boring as a spectrum auction, the upcoming 700MHz auction sure has its fair share of excitement. There are the rumors of Google and even Apple potentially bidding on the spectrum. Google requested that the FCC attach some specific conditions to the auction, which the FCC gave some lip service to, but hardly a full endorsement. Meanwhile, Verizon Wireless initially liked the conditions set by the FCC (meaning it thought it had a good chance of getting the spectrum) until it began to think through the scenarios (or heard more credible stories about competitive bids) and then suddenly decided to sue the FCC, claiming that the rules being set are illegal. Of course, others can play the lawsuit game too. Frontline Wireless, a new company basically built to bid on this spectrum, is now accusing Verizon Wireless of breaking the law in not disclosing the details of a recent meeting between Verizon Wireless officials and the FCC about the auction -- as required by the law. Thus, Frontline is asking the FCC to sanction Verizon Wireless, including the extremely unlikely possibility of barring it from the 700MHz auction. Of course, just imagine the resulting lawsuits should the FCC actually agree and bar Verizon Wireless. Somehow, given Kevin Martin's chummy relationship with the telcos, it seems unlikely that Verizon Wireless will be stopped from bidding.

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Filed Under: wireless auctions
Companies: fcc, frontline, verizon wireless

9 Comments

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Paul, 1 Oct 2007 @ 9:20pm

Boring?
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Paul, 1 Oct 2007 @ 9:21pm

Boring?
The outcome of this auction will have more impact on the U.S. than the 2008 presidential election will, so I would hardly call it boring.

Once the spectrum is owned, changes will happen. Nothing will change when the president changes.
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Mark, 1 Oct 2007 @ 9:34pm

not again...
This would be mildly entertaining if it didn't resemble what the FCC did with the 800Mhz auctions, mixing public safety with telephone providers. Stand by for the new police radios not receiving anywhere near cell towers again in 3, 2, 1...
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Kevin, 2 Oct 2007 @ 5:15am

Let's not get crazy here...
The outcome of this auction will have more impact on the U.S. than the 2008 presidential election will, so I would hardly call it boring.

After all, there's a war on (two if you count Afghanistan), and it's looking pretty likely that there's going to be at least some military action coming up in Iran as well. Choosing a new president could have a huge impact on that, especially if one is elected that can successfully steer us through the whole mess without alienating the entire world.
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- chris (profile), 2 Oct 2007 @ 5:55am
  
  Re: Let's not get crazy here...
  the outcome really will have more effect since the winner of the wireless spectrum race will have an impact on the lives of regular people.
  
  the presidential election on the other hand, regardless of who wins, is going to be more of the same. in fact, it's probably going to be as bad or worse than it is now.
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Ajax 4Hire, 2 Oct 2007 @ 5:31am

Verizon Rocks!...
I am required to say that now.

Don't ask, I cannot say why but "Verizon Rocks!"
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Killer_Tofu (profile), 2 Oct 2007 @ 6:07am

Verizon
Verizon is so full of crap. And they have extra there, so they decide to give shit to other people too. You want something from them? They will play by their rules and give you shit for it.

Where as those in control of our country really don't have any shit. They couldn't give a shit less what happens to you. They don't give a shit about anything except their pocketbooks.
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Poomer, 2 Oct 2007 @ 6:07am

Can you really stop Verizon?
Lets say that by a chance in a million, FCC actually bans Verizon from the auction. Do you think they wont buy the firm that wins the auction??

Frontline Wireless probably is partly owned by some investors who also happen to invest in Verizon, so eventually Verizon will buy them out and control more resources.

Thats the way a corporation would work... please watch the documentary - "The Corporation".
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- andy, 2 Oct 2007 @ 10:20am
  
  Re: Can you really stop Verizon?
  if you watch the documentary "the corporation" you will waste your life on a heavy- and ham-handed explanation of why all corporations are evil based on evidence that a handful of corporations actually are.
  
  terrible movie with terrible sources and, ultimately, no well-cited or reasoned argument given why the idea of — or existence of — a corporation is bad... it just presents the overwhelmingly obvious: some corporations are sh*tty (dun dun DUUUUNNNNN!).
  
  i could make a similar movie with a similar thesis about the movie-documentary industry after watching "the corporation." how ironic/self-fulfilling would that be? a movie-documentary about how sh*tty the movie-documentary industry is! ha!
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